Daily Republican., 1887-08-12
Just for a joke

wedding dress and veil of time-yel.
lowed brocade and Brussels with high
heeled satin boots and long-wristed
gloves buttoned with tiny knobs of
discolored pearl, and nobody was at
all surprised.
"What a child !" said Mrs. Brew
ster.
ut is Grandma Gillender's wedding
Dress" said Josie Brown, II tried it
on once, but l couldn't button it
around me-"
"Where on earth did you find it ?"
asked Miss Lawrence.
"Not all unbecoming," said young
DR.. Layard, with bright, observant
eyes.
"But where is the groom ?" de-
manded saucy Josie.
"All0w me to officiate," said DR..
Layard, springing lightly to his feet
and taking his position beside the
pretty little apparition in white satin
and creamy lace.
Harry Lawrence at once struck an
attitude In front of the pair.
"Lilias," said he comically imitat-
ing the drawl of good old snuff taking
DR.. Jugge, twill you take Augustine
Layard to be your own husband~
"Say yes |" prompted the young
man at her side-and Lilias laugh
ingly answered, "Not to spoil joke
yes |"
"Augustine r. shouted Harry, edo
you take Lilias to be your welded
wife, for richer, for poorer, and all the
rest of it ?"
"Of course I do" said DR.. Layai d,
"and pretty little wife she is in that
long wasted gown and frill of lace 4"
"Children!" cried Mrs. Brewster, the
Oldest Of the party, although she had
not yet attained the matronly age of
28, "what are you about2"
"Only having q little fun," said
uilias. "Now please, don't scold."
"But you are trifiing with far too
serious things" said Mrs. Brewster
and Miss Lawrence looked shrewdly
up from under her white eyelashes at
the young pair.
II dare say you think it very good
joke" said she, shut was at New
port once, where there was charade,
or tableaux, or something of the sort,
and two young people went through
the marriage service, and 10 and be-
hold, then they were married hard and
But Lilias Brown stayed to listen TO
nothing more. With little shrek of
dismay she tore of the wedding. veil
and flew away up stairs to hide herself
in the old garret, where the rain pat
tered Oh the shingled roof overhead,
and the faint scent of sandal wood and
dried rose leaves floated out of the
trunks and boxes which she had just
been rifling.
married! married." she repeated to
herself. but it's all nonsense-it
must be nonsensel No law on the face
of the earth would beat cut such a
piece of burlesque as that"
And Augustine Layard, smiling
quietly at the uproar and turmoil
which surrounded him took book
and established himself in the ham
mock on the south veranda, where the
tempest Of rain beat around him in all
directions without touching him, and
the scent of the PROSTATE roses filled
his nostrils with every gust OF wind.
But little Mrs. Brewster was uneasy
in her mind, and when the wheels of
the rockaway which brought passen-
gers from the evening train were heard
grating on the gravel, she rushed to
meet her husband, thriving young
New York lawyer.
"Tom," said she, "wait! Don't go
into the hall just yet. / want to tell
you something!"
"Can't even take of my overcoat?"
he asked, laughing at her pretty eager
ness.
"Toml" she uttered, breathlessly,
listen. Do listenl"
''My dear, / am all attention!'
"If a girl says she will take man
tcr her husband-and he says he will
AXE her for his wife,"
"Before witnessesp"
"Yes, before witnesses lis it a real
marriage, Tom? Oh, do answer me
quickly"
''As real q marriage as If all the
churches and parsons in America had
igned and sealed it," said Mr. Brew.
ter. "And now let me come in, puss,
or the air is damp, and the shine OF
'onder wood fire on the hearth is not
Without its attraction
Without lingering to question more,
Hrs. Brewster fled up stairs to the old
.arret, where Lilias Brown was still
rouching among the old trunks and
)oxes.
''It's just as told you, Lilly" said
he. "You are marriedp'
Lilias' large blue eyes shone like
tars from the background of her pallid
ace,
"But 1 won't be married." she said.
DIR. Layard was in the great sitting
DOM when she came shyly down, her
'yes swollen with crying, her fair
cheeks flushed.
"Come and sit down by me, Miss
Brown" he said with a smile, as he
made room for her on the sofa at his
'ide.
II won'tl" she flashed out. "You
,ave no authority over me. IL am
yoiDg away to morrowr'
He looked hard at her. "Are you
'unning away from me, LiliasY" said
le.
II am running away from my own
'oiiy," she answersd, In q choked
Toice.
"You need not run away either from
me or the other" said Augustine Lay.
'rd. II will leave Scollopshell Farm
nyself Tomorrow morning. If you
'annot be satisfied with my solemn as.
ertion that / attach rs little con SO
luence as yourself 70 our unconsidered
)IaCtlCAl I0ka I aahura vou T vuo,.lI